Hello followers! Today, we’re diving into an exciting new tool from YouTube that helps small creators shine brighter. Buckle up, tech fans!

Recently, YouTube rolled out its ‘Hype’ feature worldwide, allowing fans to support their favorite creators more actively. First showcased in 2024 at Google’s Made on YouTube event, this nifty button sits just below the ‘like’ option on videos. It’s now available in 39 countries including the US, UK, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and India.

The concept is simple: viewers can hype up to three videos weekly for a creator they love. Each hype grants the video points, boosting its chances to climb the new leaderboard—an exciting feature accessible through YouTube’s Explore section. Creators with fewer than 500,000 subscribers enjoy an even bigger boost from these fan efforts.

Videos that receive hype badges will display a “hyped” label, and users can filter their feeds to see only hyped content. When a hyped video nears the leaderboard, supporters get notified, making the experience even more interactive. Fans can earn a “hype star” badge monthly for their participation.

YouTube’s motivation behind Hype is to let passionate fans be part of a creator’s journey while opening new revenue opportunities. The platform plans to introduce monetization options, like fans purchasing more hypes, further fueling this community-driven growth. Additionally, YouTube is developing interest-specific leaderboards for genres like gaming and style, with creators able to track hype data via the Studio app.

This innovative approach not only empowers smaller creators but also enhances fan engagement, creating a vibrant support ecosystem that benefits all.